The invention relates to novel prostacyclin derivatives, a process for the preparation thereof, as well as the utilization thereof as medicinal agents.
Prostacyclin (PGI.sub.2), one of the primary factors in blood platelet aggregation, has a dilating effect on various blood vessels (Science 196, 1072) and thus can be considered a blood-pressure-lowering agent. However, PGI.sub.2 does not have the stability required for a medicinal agent. Thus, the half-life value of PGI.sub.2 at physiological pH values and at room temperature is only a few minutes. Prostacyclin is stabilized by the introduction of a nitrile group at the enol ether double bond, retaining the pharmacological spectrum of efficacy, and markedly prolonging the duration of activity (DOS No. 2,753,244). The additional introduction of fluorine in the 16-position effects a further increase in duration of effectiveness and selectivity.